Accents
Beware of e-mail scams!
After the long weekend and the now prayerful, now festive air of Halloween, I hope I've beaten to the draw the Internet scammers out there with this warning: Beware of e-mail scams! Yah, in cowboy lingo, beat the con men to the draw and expose them in the world-wide web for the rip-off they're about to commit.
It started with the e-mail I received Sept. 25. I'm coming out with this warning after giving sufficient time, a month is more than enough, to Messrs. Richard K. Lloyd, Richard Spence, and Blake Lewis to comment on the warning I received that my winning the UK National Lottery is a swindle. The warning I'll paste later, but first this BIG NEWS, fully copied here to show authenticity and for comparison with what you might be getting in your own e-mail:
'Lottery Co-ordinator' <info@uknationalsweeponline.com>
Subject: !!! WINNING NOTIFICATION !!!
Date: Sun, 25 Sep 2005 15:14:38 +0000
The National Lottery Logo
The U.K. National Lottery
P.O.Box 1010
Liverpool
L70 1NL.
Ref: LSUK/2031/8161/05
Batch: R3/A312-59WINNING NOTIFICATION
We happily announce to you the draw (Draw #1018) of the UK NATIONAL LOTTERY, online Sweepstakes International Program held on SATURDAY 24TH SEPTEMBER 2005.
Your e-mail address attached to ticket number: 56475600545 188 with Serial number 5368/02 drew the lucky numbers:
Ball number 2, Ball number 11, Ball number 27, Ball number 29, Ball number 36, Ball number 44, Bonus Ball number 15
Which subsequently won you one of the lucky dip prizes. You have therefore been approved to claim a total sum of £69,215 (Sixty Nine Thousand Two Hundred and Fifteen Great British Pounds) in cash credited to file KTU/9023118308/03. This is from a total cash prize of £1,522,730 (One Million Five hundred and Twenty Two Thousand Seven Hundred and Thirty Great British Pounds), shared amongst the Twenty Two (22) lucky winners in this category.
Lotto, Prize Breakdown
Draw 1018 Sat 24 Sep 05 Your Prize Money
Ball number 2, Ball number 11, Ball number 27, Ball number 29, Ball number 36, Ball number 44, Bonus Ball number 15 = £69,215
X X X X
All participants for the online version were selected randomly from the World Wide Web through a computer draw system and extracted from over 100,000 unions, associations,and corporate bodies that are listed online.
Please note that your lucky winning number falls within our European booklet representative office in Europe as indicated in your play coupon. In view of this, your ( £69,215 ) would be released to you by any of our payment offices in Europe.
Our European agent will immediately commence the process to facilitate the release of your funds as soon as you contact him. For security reasons, you are advised to keep your winning information confidential till your claim is processed and your money remitted to you in whatever manner you deem fit to claim your prize. This is part of our precautionary measure to avoid double claiming and unwarranted abuse of this program. Please be warned !!!
To file for your claim, please contact our fiduciary agent via email:
Mr. Richard Spence
Claims Department
The UKNL Foundation
Email: mr_richardspence@yahoo.co.uk
Tel: + (44) 703 191 2876For security reasons, you are advised to keep your winning information confidential till your claim is processed and your money remitted to you in whatever manner you deem fit to claim your prize. This is part of our precautionary measure to avoid double claiming and unwarranted abuse of this program. Please be warned !!!
Once again congratulations from the entire staff of the U.K NATIONAL LOTTERY.
Warm regards,
Richard K. Lloyd.
Online Coordinator for the U.K. National Lottery.
You must be 16 or over to play or claim a prize
Copyright 2004-2005 The U.K. National Lottery
WOW!!! My e-mail address was attached to a ticket that won 69,215 British pounds. At the exchange rate of P97.50 to a British pound, I am richer by P6,778,462.50. Again, WOW!!! I am a millionaire six times over. Unbelievable because it's too good to be true.
To the computer then the next day, Sept. 26, checked my e-mail and got the CLAIMS VERIFICATION FORM below:
Mon, 26 Sep 2005 13:03:07 +0100 (BST)
From: Send an Instant Message 'Richard Spence' <mr_richardspence@yahoo.co.uk>
Yahoo! DomainKeys has confirmed that this message was sent by yahoo.co.uk. Learn more
Subject: CLAIMS VERIFICATION FORM
To: 'Julia Lagoc' <juliaclagoc@yahoo.com>
The National Lottery Logo
The U.K. National Lottery
P.O.Box 1010
Liverpool
L70 1NL.
Customer Service/Claims Department
Ref: LSUK/2031/8161/05
Batch: R3/A312-59ATTENTION:
Once again congratulations from all the staff here. I am Richard Spence your claims agent who is to guide you through the process of claiming your cash prize. In order to proceed with the verification process, we require some information for record and verification purposes. Below is a copy of the Claims Verification Form, we need you to provide the information requested accordingly to enable us proceed with your winnings.
CLAIMS VERIFICATION FORM
1. Full Name; 2. Address; 3. Marital Status; 4. Occupation; 5. Age; 6. Sex; 7. Nationality; 8. Country of Residence; 9. Telephone Number; 10. Email Address; 11. Draw Number; 12. Amount Won:
You are expected to provide the information requested accordingly to the fiduciary agent immediately via e-mail.
Hope to have informed you correctly.
Best regards,
Mr. Richard Spence
Claims Department
The UKNL Foundation
Tel: + (44) 703 191 2876For security reasons, you are advised to keep your winning information confidential till your claim is processed and your money remitted to you in whatever manner you deem fit to claim your prize.
You must be 16 or over to play or claim a prize
Below is my reply sent the same day.
Mon, 26 Sep 2005 23:02:38 -0700 (PDT)
From: 'Julia Lagoc' <juliaclagoc@yahoo.com>
Subject: Re: CLAIMS VERIFICATION FORM
To: Send an Instant Message 'Richard Spence' mr_richardspence@yahoo.co.uk
Mr. Richard Spence
Sir:
Please find below my reply to the CLAIMS VERIFICATION FORM. Thank you very much for your kind attention.
Sincerely yours,
Julia Carreon-Lagoc
Now that is an honest-to-goodness reply, the tone sincere and respectful, from a millionaire-to-be. Where and how does the rip-off begin? Abangan! Read in the next issue.
(Comments to lagoc@hargray.com)